The October meeting of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Road Runners Club was POBRRC's annual Awards Night, and 1998 club champion Carlos Castro, Jr. headed a stellar group of the club's top performers who were presented this year's awards.

Carlos has been the overall winner of races at all distances and venues this year -- ranging from the Brentwood and Express 5 Kilometer Runs all the way up to the Canon Long Island marathon, and his award was certainly well earned.

Also well earned were the "Age Group" awards for club runners, which were won by Shane O'Leary, Ianthe Mugglestone, Gavin Goldstein, Sean O'Rourke, Barbara Rabinovici, John Grossfeld, Michele Hoheiser, Paul Englehart, Mary Frances Whelan, Bob Kish, Doreen Isenberg, John Di Camillo, Lori Harfenes Melnik, Ed Melnik, Andrea Otto, Maury Dean, Peter Mugglestone, Ray Fletcher, Bert Jablon and Bill Benson.

13-year-old Jesse Walsh was presented the club's Wheelchair Championship Award for 1998.

The club's Clydesdale Awards were presented to John Brant, Fred Benlein and Club Vice President Mindy Davidson. (Clydesdale runners are men between 185 and 199 pounds or 200 pounds plus. Female Clydesdale runners must be at least 140 pounds).

The prestigious Gladys Simonsen Memorial Award, presented annually to the club's Most Improved Masters Athlete, went to George Dennis, a veteran runner and club member for almost as long as there has been a club. George, who remembers fondly running with Gladys, made a very moving speech in accepting the award.

Other POBRRC "Most Improved" awards were presented to Amy McGuire, Carl Grossbaed, Bill Whitcomb and Charlie Hamilton in recognition of their efforts. Amazingly enough, this is the second consecutive year that Amy has won a "Most Improved" award.

The club's Special Service Awards for 1997 were presented to some very special people indeed: Club office manager Linda Ottaviano, Vytra Long Island Women's Run director Suzanne Vasata, Club general counsel and South Shore Sprint director Lynn Kotler, and ex-offcio club building manager Joe Sturgess.

"Our club is about two things -- athleticism and service," observed club president Mike Polansky. "So it is only appropriate that we dedicate an entire evening to honor those who have excelled and those who have served the club well. This is an outstanding group of award winners, and I am proud to be associated with them."